Sleeping-car



(No Model.)

S. M. CHARLES;

SLEEPING GAR.

No. 485,151. Patented Oct. 25,1892.

" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL M. CHARLES, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS.

SLEEPING-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,151, dated October25, 1892. Application filed May 31, 1892. Serial No. 434.850. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL M. CHARLES, a citizen of the United States,residing at T0- peka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleeping- Cars; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in sleepingcars;and it consists in the construction and arrangements of the partshereinafter described, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

The invention further consists in an improvement on the constructionillustrated and described in Letters Patent No. 468,493, granted tomyself on the 9th day of February, 1892.

The aim and purpose of my present invention is to add security to thesupport of the bracket, to so arrange the platform and step that asimultaneous movement may be had to swing or move the same into avertical position, and to increase the rigidity of the structure. Thisobject is obtained by the construction illustrated by the accompanyingdrawings, in which like letters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective viewof the improvement. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the bracket, lookingtoward the rear 5 and Fig. 3 is a front elevation with the stepselevated.

In the drawings, A represents the end of the car-seat, B metallic eyesfitted in the end of the seats, and C a slotted plate in the floor.

The bracket D is substantially the same as shown in the patent abovementioned, with the exception of having the tongue (Z on its lower end,which fits in the slotted plate on the floor.

The securing-hooks E are formed with heads e, which fit in the eyes onthe end of the seat, and are there locked in position.

The platform F is made of a single piece and is hinged to the upper armof the bracket at or near the inner edge of the platform. Its rear endis reduced and formed into a rightangle extension f. The step or lowerplatform is constructed in a manner similar to the upper platform andhas an extension g. These extensions are arranged adjacenttto the innerface of the bracket near the rear edge thereof, and are connected with aconnecting-bar H, so that as soon as either the step or platform ismoved the other will be simultaneously moved. By hinging the step andplatform at their edges it will be seen that when down they will projectout into the aisle, and when not in use by moving the same up into avertical plane they are thrown back to a position near the seat.

To give additional strength and rigidity to the structure, suitablebracing-blocks I are secured to the under face of the platform and step,which engages the side of the bracketarm and prevents the plat-form orstep from assuming a position other than a horizontal when the same areadjusted for use. The extensions on the ends of the platform and stepengage the inner face of the bracket when the platform and step areadjusted for use, thereby assisting in holding the same in a horizontalposition.

By the above-described construction it will be seen that the bracket isfirmly supported and held in place and at the same time may be quicklyremoved. By having both the step and platform hinged the advantage, inaddition to the one above mentioned, is that the attachment may be moreeasily stored away with the bedding in the upper berth or otherconvenient place.

I am aware that many minor changes can be made in the construction andarrangements of parts and substituted for those herein shown anddescribed without in the least departing from the nature and principleof my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure byLetters Patent, is

1. In a sleeping-car, the combination, with a fixed support, of abracket removably supported thereby, having a series of steps arrangedon different horizontal and vertical planes, hinged directly thereto andextending out therefrom, substantially as described.

2. In a sleeping-car, the combination, with the seat and floor eyes inthe seats, and a slotted plate in the floor, of a bracket having betweenthe steps independent of the bracket, substantially as described.

5. In a platform-bracket, the combination, withthe arms of the bracket,of steps hinged to the arms, having. extensions arranged to engage thebracket when the steps are 1n a horizontal position, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 1n presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL M. CHARLES.

Witnesses:

W. F. EVANS, A. A. GRAHAM.

